10 Telltale Signs That You’re A Cruise Addict

When people throw out that “Got it from my momma” phrase, I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean it to apply to cruises!

Since their first cruise in 2009, my parents have both retired and spend as much time as possible travelling, usually on cruises. Who can blame them – you only live once!

Unfortunately, this addiction has somehow been passed on to me, especially since our 28 day Adonia cruise – I think that was the final straw! So, we’ve put our heads together for this post.

How can you tell you’re a cruise addict?

Your house is full of brochures

Seriously, we’re falling over them in our house. Pretty much every post delivery seems to have something cruise related, and you never have to worry about rummaging for a coaster for your tea – there’s always a brochure to put it on!

These are just a handful of the ones that were in the coffee table drawer – the bookshelf in the kitchen is obscene!

You have a special wardrobe for cruise clothes

It’s not so much that we have a special wardrobe…it’s just the wardrobe in the spare room is full of evening dresses, dinner jackets and summer clothes…that we only ever need on cruises…

Me and my dad scrub up ok! Incidentally I have had this formal dress since…possibly my first cruise…

You have packing lists already printed off

This one is more them than me, seeing as being retired they could easily book a last minute trip. But yes, my mum has a stash of tick sheet packing lists in a drawer that they can easily grab and go through to easily pack.

You constantly eye up cruise related items

Let’s face it, you don’t get many occasions at home where you need an evening dress, so everytime I see something a bit glitzy in the shops, “Ooh, that’d be a nice cruise dress!”…and yet I’m still wearing a dress I’ve had since I was 17 for gala nights. And then there’s shirts, bags, packing cubes, green beans – anything these days can remind me of cruises!

Not even stuff Id buy – just anything that remotely reminds me of a cruise!

Ears prick up whenever someone mentions a place you’ve been to

Joining every facebook group on the block

I am in so many facebook groups! Each P&O ship has it’s own facebook group, and I’m also in general ones like Cruise Addicts – Rate, Rant & Review and Cruising isn’t just for old people. They’re great for swapping tips, finding out the latest cruise news, swapping photos or just having a good old gossip! Warning – if you haven’t got a cruise booked to look forward to, these groups might make you a bit jealous of those that do…

Your Sky box is full of episodes of Cruising with Jane Mcdonald and The Cruise

I’d say they’re guilty pleasures but I’m not the least bit guilty. Watching it is mainly a mix of “Ooh look at that atrium”, “Been there!” and “Give it a rest Timothy”

You find that you’re turning into a ship spotter

Whether it’s actually spotting different ships when you’re on a cruise and getting excited whether or not you’ve seen them before. Or sometimes, not so excited.

“Ooh there’s another ship coming in!”

“Ooh who is it?”

“Oh shit, its Allure of the Seas”

“No chance of the beaches being quiet then”

I’ve also been accused of being a ship spotter by a colleague when she showed me a picture of a ship and I immediately identified it as being an ex Carnival…that tail is iconic ok?!

“Is that a Carnival ship I see on the horizon?”

Your inbox is full of emails from cruise lines

Please stop tempting me. I don’t make the holiday decisions in this house. Wait, how much was that third person price? (I love you Princess Cruises!)

You try to keep your addiction hidden, but people come to you for advice anyway.

I think I can speak for everyone in my house when I say we’re all the first port of call for advice from our friends – whether it’s packing tips, which line to go with or whether to do fixed or freedom dining (freedom all the way).

And of course, we don’t mind, because it means we get to talk about our favourite subject! Yep – we’re definately the ones you want to talk to when it comes to planning a cruise.

Can you identify yourself as being a cruise addict? Or are there any other telltale signs I’m missing out? Let me know in the comments below!